Although networking is a popular topic of conversation among entrepreneurs, small business owners often lack a specific strategy to build and maintain meaningful connections. The truth is, there’s more to networking than simply attending events and making small talk. If you want to make the most of your small business networking, you need a solid strategy.

Networking Strategies in Business

At its best, networking can lead to strong friendships, new leads, opportunities for collaboration, and mutual support. At its worst, though, networking events can cost time and money without giving you anything in return.

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of proceeding without direction regarding small business networking. You must change your approach if your networking attempts don’t consistently result in valuable connections.

The key is to create a networking strategy in advance so you’re not just spinning your wheels. Here are 5 crucial networking tips for small business owners to consider.

1. Create goals. What are you looking for in your small business networking? Would you like to find a mentor? To meet other business owners in your industry? To locate potential new clients? Defining these goals before you even begin networking will help you avoid wasting time on dead-end conversations or irrelevant events.
2. Find the right events. Now that you know what you’re looking to get out of networking, you can find the events most likely to deliver the desired results. Joining a few local business organizations and subscribing to industry publications can keep you in the loop on upcoming events, conferences, meetups, or other opportunities.
3. Work on your conversational skills. When networking for a small business, you need an elevator pitch that concisely summarizes who you are and what you do. At the event, be sure you’re also practicing active listening and demonstrating genuine interest in the other attendees. Networking is about reciprocity, not dominating the conversation.
4. Learn from each opportunity. After each event, have a quick debrief with yourself. Make a note of how many connections you made. Think back to the conversations you had: what do you wish you’d done differently? What went well? Tweaking your approach based on your results will lead to better, more meaningful networking in the future.
5. Network online. In-person events aren’t the only way to network. You can also connect virtually by leveraging social media effectively, creating content like long-form blog posts demonstrating thought leadership, engaging with others in digital spaces, using industry-specific online communities, and reaching out to business rockstars you admire.

Developing business networking strategies will help you make the most out of your attendance at industry events. With some practice, you can create meaningful connections with mentors and other allies who can help your business soar.

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Coach Dave